Labeller with pushing-out means

ABSTRACT

A labeller comprising a casing which is provided with a tape support supporting a tape carrying labels, means for detaching each label by the reverse turning of the tape, a tape feed means, a window supporting the detached label, and a holding portion; a label pushing-out means having a pushing-out portion corresponding to said opening and having at least one pushing-out spring; and a movable member engaging and disengaging said tape feed means and said pushing-out means, said movable member being adapted to engage said pushing-out means to move together therewith and to disengage said pushing-out member at a predetermined position of said pushing-out member while said spring is in a tensioned condition.

States Patent 1191 ada 5] Jan. 22, 1974 LABELLER WITH PUSHING-OUT MEANSI [75] Inventor: Tokio Wada, Tokyo, Japan Pr'mary Examiner Phlhp [73]Assignee: Ceiko Ceiki Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 5, 197.1[57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl 169214 A labeller comprising a casing which isprovided with a tape support supporting a tape carrying labels, [30]Foreign Application Priority D t means for detaching each label by thereverse turning Aug. 14, 1970 Japan 45-70955 of the tape a tape feedmeans a windw Supporting 6, 970 n 4587193 the detached label, and aholding portion; a label Dec. 29 1970 Japan 45-132946 pushing'out meanshaving a pushing'mt I responding to said opening and having at least one52 US. on 156/361, 156/384, 156/540, puslilg'out Spring; and a "Mablemember engaging 156/577 156/584 221/73 and disengaging said tape feedmeans and said push- 511 int. c1. B65h '2s/00, B656 9/08 Said "Mablemember being adapted 58] Field of Search 156/384, 361, 584, 540, 577;engage Pushing-3m means mgeth 221/73 74 therewith and to disengage saidpushing-out member at a predetermined position of said pushing-out mem-56] References Cited ber while said spring is in a tensioned condition.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3,705,833 12/1972Wada 156/384 PATENTED M12219 3. 787.. 266

sum 1 0F 5 INVENTOR TOM/0 WA DA BY Yaw ATTORNEY PATENTEU M22197? 3.787.266

Slim E 0F 5 70/00 WADA BY @MZZ ZvQgQ ATTORNEY INVENTOR PATENTED 3.787.266

SHEET [if INVENTOR TOKIO WA DA BY @W W ATTORNEY PATEmfnJmzema SHEU m BF5 INVENTOR TO Kl 0 WA DA ATTORNEY PATENTEDJANZZIW 3; 7'87, 286

SHEET W 5 I N VEN TOR TOK/O WADA BY @Ww W ATTORNEY 1 LABELLIER WITHPUSlHIllNG-OUT MEANS Crossreference is hereby made to the relatedcopending application of the present applicant, Tokio Wada, Ser. No.169,617., filed Aug. 6, 1971, for Labeller with Printing Means, theclaims of which are confined to said printing means and do not specifythe pushing-out means specified in the claims herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to labellersin which the attachment of labels to articles is effected by thepushing-out of the labels. Labellers used hitherto have had manyinconveniences. It has frequently occurred that the letters printed on alabel were incorrectly positioned thereon. Attachment of a printed labelon an article often has required so much skill that it has not been easyto attach a label on an article efficiently and rapidly. When theinscription on the label was changed, special difficulties wereencountered in attaching a new label in exactly the same position as thelabel previously'attached to the article. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to eliminatethe above disadvantages by providing a labeller which can attach a labelto a small box, a bag or a like article by a pushing-out mechanism andwhich is small in size and free from troubles. Here the label is coatedwith a bonding agent on the back surface and is detachably carried by atape. The present labeller also has no reaction resulting from thepushing-out operation. Moreover, the present labeller has a labelpushing-out means which is applicable either to a hand-operated labelleror to an electrically-driven labeller.

These and other objects and features of the present invention willappear from the following description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings which show, by way of example, embodiments of thepresent invention.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows an elevation of a labeller according to the presentinvention, partly in section.

FIGS. 2a and 2b are plan views showing successive positions of operationof the ratchet wheel and arm of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the printing means and pad roller ofFIG. 1 showing their successive positions of operation in solid linesand in dotted lines respectively.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in anelevation similar to FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a plan view, partly in section, of the pushingout member ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a modified embodiment of the pushing-out member of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view, partlyin section, of the ink roller device ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the electrical driving I means of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 shows a manually-operated third embodiment of the presentinvention in an elevation similar to FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be illus trated below withreference to FIG. 1. Numeral 1 represents a hand grip which houses amotor; 2 an operating lever pivotally mounted upon a shaft 4 on anannular flange 3 at the upper end of the hand grip l; 5 a push springprovided between the lower end of the operating lever 2 and the handgrip '1; 6 a connecting rod pivotally connected at its rearward end tothe operating lever 2 by a shaft 7 and at its other end to apawlengaging rod 8 by a shaft 9, the lower end of the pawlengaging rod 8being swingably pivoted on the annular flange 3; 10 a ratchet wheelconnected to a rotary shaft of the motor, which transmits thereto therotational force of the motor reduced or increased by gears. 11 and 12denote rotary discs positioned above and below the ratchet wheel 10,which rotary discs are connected to each other by a connecting shaft 13and by a fixed shaft 14 as shown in FIG. 2a and loosely and pivotallymounted on a shaft rod 15 without being connected to the rotary shaft ofthe motor. 16 denotes a pawl pivotally mounted upon said fixed shaft 14connected to the rotary disc 12 and having a projection 17 at its outerI end projecting outwardly from the outer peripheral edges of the rotaryplates 11 and 12 with its inner end urged into engagement with therachet wheel 10 by'a 1 pawl-engaging spring 18 secured to the connectingshaft l3. l9 denotes an arm having its inner end pivotally mounted onthe upper surface of the rotary disc 1 l by a shaft 20 and its outer endprovided with a projection engaging slot 21. 22 (FIG. 1) denotes a meansfor moving an adhesion-preventing tape 23. A roller 25 is pivotallymounted on a rotary shaft 29 journalled in casing 26, which roller hasprojections 24 engageable with the adhesion preventing tape. A rollerrotation arm 27 which rotates the roller 25 only in one direction by aratchet mechanism and other means is mounted on the rotary shaft 29 ofthe roller 25. This'roller rotation arm 27 is pulled by a tension spring28 in the direction of rotation of the roller 25. An operatingprojection 30 at the upper end of the roller rotation arm 27 is insertedinto said projection engaging slot 21. A presser roller 31 pressedinward from outward of the roller 25 and simultaneously rotatable withthe roller 25 is revolvably pivoted on the casing 26. 32 denotes aprinting means which has an end fixed to the arm 19 and integrallyoperable with the arm 19. As shown in FIG. 1, letter belts are locatedin two levels to display printed letters in two lines, with theoperating wheels 33 being provided in two levels for moving the letterbelts. 34 denotes two pad rollers and 35 is a supporting rod upon whichthe pad rollers 34 are mounted one above the other. 36 denotes a movablearm of arcuate shape carrying at one end of the rod 35 and pivotallymounted at its other end on a fixed shaft 37 pivoted on the casing 26 asshown in FIG. 3. The movable am 36 is located beneath the printing means32 and is pressed inwardly of the casing 26 by spring 38, the arcuateoutside edge 39 being situated inwardly of the casing 26. 40 denotes apad roller outlet opening provided at one side of the casing 26. 41

denotes a pushing and slidable projection projecting upward toward thelower end of the printing means 32, which projection slidably engagesthe outside edge 39 of the movable arm36 as the printing means 32 movesto one side. 42 denotes a letter bearing surface of the letter beltprovided in the printing means. 43 denotes a label pushing-out memberfor forcibly attaching a.

label 44 to an article to be labelled. 45 denotes a reciprocably-movublemember or slide reciprocated by the arm 19. The label pushing-out member43 has at its end a push portion 46 made of a box-shaped thin rubberbody or a soft foam resin body and having a flexibility sufficient topush out labels 44 without easily breaking the article. 47 designates apresser rod located at opposite end to the label pushing-out member 43and formed separately from the label pushing-out member 43. The presserrod 47 is slidable in a slot 48 provided on a side of the casing 26. Thepresser rod 47 is connected to a fixed projection 50 secured to thecasing 26 on one side of a window 49 by a tension spring 51. The labelpushing-out member 43 and the pressure rod 47 are connected by a returnspring (not shown) weaker in tension than the tension spring 51. 52denotes a suspension means projecting toward the upper portion of thelabel pushing-out member 43, which suspension means 52 slidably engagesa slot 53 provided at the upper part of the casing 26 and has a step 54on the under surface thereof. 55 designates an operating rod adapted tomove the label pushing-out member 43 in the direction opposite to thewindow 49 into engagement with the step 54. This operating rod 55 ispivotally mounted on the reciprocably-movable member 45, being pushedupwardly in the direction of the step 54 constantly by a pushing-upspring 56. 57 denotes a tapered projection secured to the casing 26rearwardly in the path of advance of the operating rod 55, whichprojection pushes the operating rod 55 downwardly at a fixed positionand releases it from engagement with the step 54. 58 denotes a roll ofthe adhesion-preventing tape 23 for the labels 44; 59 a bracket for theroll 58; 60 a turn-up means for the tape 23; and 61 a roller for leadingthe tape 23 to the roller 25.

The embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2a, 2b and 3 as described above, is operatedas explained below.

The hand grip 1 is grasped with one hand and the switch ls (FIG. 8) isclosed manually, whereupon the motor M is energized with electriccurrent, consequently rotating the ratchet wheel 10 connected to therotary shaft of the motor. The pawl 16 whose inner end is engaged withthe ratchet 10 by the spring 18 now rotates together with the rotarydiscs 11 and 12. Then (FIG. 2a) the projection 17 at the outer end ofthe pawl 16 projecting from the outer periphery of the rotary discs 11and 12 contacts and engages the upper part of the operating lever 2close to the outer periphery of the rotary discs 11 and 12. The pawl 16thereforeis revolved pivotally about the fixed shaft 14 releasing theengagement of its inner end with the ratchet wheel 10. Then by pullingthe operating lever 2 in the direction of the hand grip 1, the operatinglever 2 is rotated about the shaft 4 to withdraw its upper portion fromthe outer periphery of the rotary discs 11 and 12 (FIG. 2b), releasingthe engagement of the projection 17 at the end of the pawl 16 from theupper portion of the operating rod 2. By releasing this engagement, thepawl 16 is pushed at the inner end by the spring 18 to again engage withthe ratchet wheel 10. By engagement of the pawl 16 with the ratchetwheel 10, the pawl 16 revolves with the rotary discs 1 l and 12, as itis connected by the connecting shaft 13 to the rotary disc 12 and itmakes a half revolution of approximately 180. In this position (FIG.2b), the projection 17 of the pawl 16 contacts and engages with thepawl-engaging rod 8 connected by the connecting rod 6 with the operatinglever 2 and is released from engagement with the ratchet wheel 10similarly as in the case of engagement with the operating lever 2 aspreviously described and stops the operation of the rotary discs 11 and12. By rotation of the rotary discs 11 and 12 through 180, the arm 19revolvably secured at one end to the shaft 20 on the rotary disc 11moves to the forward end of its path of travel (FIG. 2b). The movementof the arm 19 to the forward end of its path of travel pushes forwardthe operating projection 30 which is inserted into the slot 21 at theforward endof the arm 19 so that it revolves the roller rotation arm 27forwardly against the return force of the tension spring 28. The roller25 in relation to the arm 27 is constructed so as to revolve only in onedirection same as in the ratchet mechanism, so that it does not revolveitself. By this revolution, the printing means 32 (FIGS. 1 and 3)secured to the arm 19 and the reciprocably-movable member or slide 45move in the forward direction. During forward movement of this printingmeans 32, a slidable projection 41 projecting at the lower end of theprinting means 32 slidably pushes forward the outer edge 39 of themovable arm 36 of arcuate shape pivoted on the fixed shaft 37 of themovable arm 36. By this slide movement, the movable arm 36 to which isfixed the rod 35 having the pad roller 34 at one end can swing on theshaft 37 of the movable rod, since it is formed in an arcuate shape(FIG. 3), and it applies ink by pad roller 34 on the letter surface 42of the printing means 32. By preferred adjustment of the diameter andarcuate angle of the movable arm 36, the application of ink on theletter surface 42 may be made uniformly corresponding to the advance ofthe-printing means 32 in the direction to the label 44. The pad roller34 which has accomplished inking on the letter surface 42 is pushed bythe pressure of the projection 41 out to the side of the printing means32 and out of the casing 26 through the outlet opening 40 of the padroller into the dotted line position of FIG. 3, without obstructing theprinting of the printing means 32 on the label 44 on the tape 23, nowbacked up against the member 60, whereupon the letter surface 42 of theprinting means 32 impresses printing on the label 44. Simultaneouslywith the printing on the label 44 by the printing means 32, theoperating rod 55 which is pivotally connected to the upper part of theprinting means 32 engages the step 54.

The operator now releases the operating lever 2 which returns, by returnforce of the spring 5, to the initial position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2a,and its upper end moves close to the outer periphery of the rotary discs11 and 12. The pawl-engaging rod 8 is thereby pushed rearwardly by theconnecting rod 6, away from the outer periphery of the rotary discs 11and 12, and releases its engagement with the projection 17 at the outerend of the pawl 16, this engaging with the ratchet wheel 10, so that therotary discs 11 and 12 further revolve approximately return to theposition before operation (FIG. 20). By the rotation of these rotarydiscs 11 and 12, the arm 19 also returns to the condition beforeoperation. By return of the arm 19, the roller rotation arm 27 returnsto the initial position shown in FIG. 1 by the return force of thetension spring 28. The roller rotation arm 27 is so constructed that itcan revolve the roller 25 only in one direction by ratchet mechanism. Atthe time of this return movement, the roller is rotated in a clockwisedirection to pull the tape 23 upward and reversely around the top of themember 60 to push the label 44 printed by the printing means 32 towardthe window 49. At the same time, the printing means 32 secured at itslower end to the arm 19 and the reciprocably movable member or slide 45return to the condition before operation together with the arm 19 (FIG.2a). Following the receding movement of the printing means 32 andprojection 41 thereon, each roller 34 on the movable arm 36 of arcuateshape presses against its respective letter printing surface 42 again byreturn force of the spring 38, applyingink, and returns to thesolid-line condition before operation shown in FIG. 3 together with thepad rollers 34. With the return of the printing means 32 and thereciprocably-movable member or slide 45, the step 54 on the upperportion 52 of the label pushing-out member 43 in engagement with the rod55 is pulled by the rod 55 so as to pull the presser rod 47 rearwardlyand consequently stretch the push member tension spring 51. The rod 55at a suitable position contacts the tapered projection 57 and is pusheddownwards, whereby its engagement with the step 54 of the labelpushing-out member 43is released. By the release of its engagement withthe rod 55, the label pushing-out member 43 is pushed outward by theaction of the push rod 47 against its inner end, impelled by the returnof the push member tension spring 51. As a result, the push portion 46at its outer end is then pushed out of the window 49 and in doing sodetaches the label 44 from the reversely-bent tape 23 at the roundedupper end of the member 60 and adheres it to the article.

The second embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

In the labeller shown, the main body of the casing 26a is provided witha window 49a which passes the labels detached from a tape similar to thelabel-holding tape 23 of FIG. 1 and similarly moved by the ratchetroller a, a hollow hand grip la and a support bracket 59a holding thetape with labels. A tape feed drum opening and closing member 60a havinga tape feed drum 25a and a contact member 62 adjacent the window 49a ispivoted at its upper end upon a pivot pin 63. The hand grip la has amain motor switch Is and it houses a motor. The contact member 62 at itslower end has a handle and a bore adapted to swing over an end of thefeed drum axle, thus enabling the openingand-closing member 60a to bepulled sidewise off the end of the feed drum axle and then swung aroundthe pin 63a toward and away from the window 49a, and at its upper endengages the contact switch 2s in the casing 26a so as to close theswitch by contact of the contact member 62 with the article to belabelled. The pushing-out member 43a has a resilient label push-outportion 46a at the forward end thereof. The label pushout portion 46a ispositioned opposite the window 49a. The pushing-out member 43a ismovably supported by being guided along the slot 480 and is connected toa spring 51a on each side thereof and is connected to a return spring 64in the middle thereof, the opposite ends of these springs being anchoredin the casing 26a, as shown in FIG. 5. The pushing-out member 43a has astepped portion 54a by which the member 43a is movable to its retractedposition against the force of the springs 51a by movable pawl 55apivoted to the top of the printing means 32 and has depending from aguide 65 a pawl disengaging piece 57a mounted in a position adapted torelease the pawl 55a from the stepped portion 54a. The pushing-outmember 43a is guided by a slot 65a in the guide 65, as shown in FIG. 6.

The printing member 32a is mounted on a reciprocably-movable member orslide a to reciprocate it and the printing elements thereon similar tothe printing element 42 of FIG. 1. The ink rollers 34a are supported byarm 36a as shown in FIG. 7, said arm 36a being urged by spring 38a to beswung into and out of the casing 26a for applying ink on the printingelements of the printing member 32a by the reciprocably-movable roller411a mounted on the reciprocably movable member or slide 45a. The rollerbody 34a can provide threecolor printing but it is capable of beingapplied for a desired number of colors. The reciprocably movable memberor slide 45a is pivoted by pin 21a to the forward end of a rod 1% therearward end of which is connected to a rotary cam disc 1 1a by pin 20awhereby the rod 19a makes a reciprocal movement with the revolution ofthe cam disc 11a. The movable member 45 a is drivingly connected througha feed pawl and ratchet device 27a to thereby drive the tape feed drum25a.

The electrical driving means may be of a direct electromagneticreciprocating type, which may, as shown in FIG. 8, comprise the mainswitch Is, the normally-open contact switch 2s, a normally-closeddriving switch 3s closing by engagement with the cam disc 11a, a relayswitch Rs, a relay having a relay coil Re and contacts Ra and Rb, themotor M, a drive circuit having an electromagnetic clutch c, and the camdisc 11a driven through a speed reducing mechanism from electromagneticclutch c. The contact Rb is opened when the relay 99?! .Refisaqya ed inthet ox xt llyosd sircuit.,

Operation of the electric driving mechanism is dek i be ra -mh Mainswitch Is is closed and motor M is revolved.

Contact piece 62 is placed in contact with the contacted article to belabelled. Contact switch 2s then is closed. Electromagnetic clutch c isactuated through a circuit having a contact Rb. Thereby, the cam disc11a is rotated. During almost the entire revolution of the cam disc 11a,the normally-closed driving switch 3s remains closed and the relayswitch Rs is closed. Then the relay coil Re is actuated and contact Rbis opened. The electromagnetic clutch c is actuated only when a currentpasses through the driving switch 3s. When the projection on the camdisc 11a rotates through a single revolution, it opens the drivingswitch 3s. The electromagnetic clutch does not actuate after it stopswith one rotation of the cam disc ll 1a. If the window 62 is moved awayfrom the article, the contact switch 2s is opened whereupon current tothe relay coil R0 is cut off. Thereafter, all moving parts return totheir initial positions. The operation can be repeated in the same way.

Operation of the labeller is described below. The tape similar to thetape 23 of FIG. 1 with a label stripped off its forward end and carriedby the support 59a is inserted between the tape guide 66. The tape isthen passed around the roller 67 and is bent reversely at the opening49a and led downward so as to wind on the drum 25a under pressure. ofthe tape presser roller 310. Main switch lls is closed for revolving themotor M only. The contact piece 62 is pressed against the article to belabelled, closing the contact switch 2s, whereby the cam disc llla isrotated. The rod 19a imparts a forward movement to the reciprocablymovable member or slide 45a in response to the rotation of the cam discHa by the shaft of the motor M so that the printing member 32a is movedforward by the reciprocably'movable member or slide 45a and makes aprinting operation. During this movement, the roller 34a attached to thearm 36a moves outward while applying ink on the printing surface of theprinting member 320 by engagement of the roller 41a with the arm 36a asshown in FIG. 7. The pawl 55a engages with the stepped portion 54a ofthe pushing-out member 430, whereupon the pawl of the feed pawl andratchet device 27a is moved forward by the movable member 45a. Byfurther rotation of the cam disc 11a, the rearward motion of the rod 19acauses the reciprocably movable member or slide 45a to move rearwardly,whereupon the feed pawl engages with the ratchet of the pawl and ratchetdevice 27a, and revolves the tape feed drum 25a, thereby imparting afeed to the tape. The pad rollers 34a also start to return to theirinitial position by contact of the arm 36a with the movable roller 41a.As the pawl 55a withdraws the pushing-out member 43a rearwardly, itengages the inclined portion of the pawl disengaging piece 57a, andmoves downwards so as to be released from engagement with the step 54aof the pushing-out member 43a, whereupon the pushing out member 43a ispropelled forward by the force of the springs 51a and applies labelswhich have been fed to the window 49a by the tape as it is bentreversely thereat in passing downward to the feed roller 25a. Thepushing-out member 43a is then retracted by the spring 64 and the camdisc lla stops at its initial position in response to its opening theswitch 3s to deenergize the magnetic clutch c.

In the manually-operated third embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the main bodyof the casing 26b comprises a contact member 49b with a label outletwindow (not shown in FIG. 9 but similar to the windows 49 and 49a ofFIGS. 1 and 4) through which pass labels detached from a tape similar tothe tape 23 of FIG. 1, a hand grip 1b and a bracket 59b to hold the saidtape bearing the labels. A feed drum opening and closing member 60b nearits lower end is provided with a handle and is bored to slide onto andoff the end of the axle of the tape feed drum 25b as in FIG. 4, and toenable the contact member 49b to be pivoted on pin 63b to be swungtoward and away from the above-mentioned label outlet window 68. Thecasing 26b is provided with a return spring 70 for retracting the handlever 69. The contact member 49a is secured to the upper end of the feeddrum opening and closing member 60b and is positioned opposite theabove-mentioned window at an interval from an article to which labelsare to be attached. The label pushing-out member 43b has a resilientforward end portion 46b at the forward end thereof adjacent the window,the pushing-out member 43b being movably carried and guided along casingside wall slots 71 similar to the slots 48a of FIG. by force of springs51b similar to the springs 51a of FIG. 5 and a return spring (not shown)similar to the spring 64 of FIG. 5. An attachment guide 65b, having astepped portion 54b is movable against the force of the spring 51b intoa position where it is engaged with a pawl 55b for moving thepushing-out member 43b, and a pawl disengaging member (not shown)similar in action to the members 57 and 57a of FIGS. 1 and 4 is providedon the guide 65b at a position to release the pawl 55b from the steppedportion 54b. The label push-out member 43b is guided in itsreciprocation by a guide slot 71 in the attachment guide 65b. Theprinting means 32b is similar to the printing means 32 and 32a of FIGS.1 and 4 and is attached by screws 74, 75 to a movable member 45b withthe printing surface variable by movement and rotation of a knob 76. Anink roller 34b is carried by an arm 36b similar to the arms 36 and 36aof FIGS. 3 and 7, which is similarly urged by a spring (not shown) toswing into the casing 26b. The arm 36b is adapted to so swing forapplication of ink on the printing surface of the printing member 32b bya movable roller 41b depending from the printing means 32b. The movablemember 45b is-connected by a pin and slot connection 77 to the upper endof the hand lever 69. By swinging the hand lever 69 toward the hand grip1b, the movable member 45b can perform a reciprocating movement to andfro along the slot 78 in the casing 26b. The tape feed drum 25b isappropriately rotated by a feed pawl 27b. A ratchet wheel R which isengaged by the pawl 27b drives the tape feed drum 25b for feeding thetape. The tape feeding is assisted by a roller 31b made of rubber orlike material supported on the casing and rotatable by engagement withthe tape on the tape feed drum 25b. To avoid slippage of the tape fromthe tape feed drum 25b, the tape is engaged by projections such asperipherally-spaced needle teeth 24b on the drum 25b. Feeding of thetape is accomplished by gear transmission with rotation speed of theroller 31b being made more rapid than that of the drum. The label isdetached from the tape as described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and4, when the tape is being reversely adjacent an edge of the window whileit is supported on both sides so as to be adequately positioned at thewindow.

Operation of the labeller mentioned above is described below.

From a roll of tape with labels carried by the bracket 59b is firststripped a label from the forward end thereof. The tape is guidedthrough a tape guide 66b, passed upward around a guide roller 67b andbent reversely downward at an edge of the window, as described above inconnection with FIGS. 1 and 4, and thereafter wound on the tape feedingdrum 25b under pressure of the tape presser roller 31b. The tape feedingdrum 25b can be opened outwardly by swinging outward the lower end ofthe drum opening and closing member 60b off the end of the axle of thetape feeding drum 25b away from the above-mentioned label outlet window.The contact member 49b containing the label outlet window is placed at alocation on the article where it is desired to position the label on thearticle. The lever 69 is then swung toward the casing portion lb toslide the reciprocably-movable or slide member 45b and the labelprinting means 32b forward in order to thereby effect the printing bymeans of the label printing means 32b. During this movement, the padrollers 34b mounted on the arm 36b move out of the path of travel of theprinting means 32b after applying ink on the printing surface of theprinting member 32b in response to the engagement of the movable roller41b on the printing means 32b with the arm 36b. The pushing-out member43b is meanwhile in the starting position shown in FIG. 9. The movablepawl 55b engages with the stepped portion 54b of the pushing-out member43b by the upwardly urged force of its spring. When, after beingoperated as described above, the lever 69 is swung back to its startingposition of FIG. 9 by the return spring 70, the reciprocably-movable orslide member 45b withdraws rearwardly. The feed pawl 27b then engageswith the ratchet wheel of the tape feed drum 25b, revolves the tape feeddrum 25b and thereby provides the feed to the tape, and the pad rollers34b are returned to their iniital positions through contact with theirsupporting arm 36b and movable roller 41b. The movable pawl 55b thenretracts the push- 9 ing-out member 43b to its starting position shownin FIG. 9. In a suitable position, the attaching member is disengaged bya pawl releasing member similar to the pawl releasing members 57 and 57aof FIGS. 1 and 4. The pushing-out member 43b effects attachment of thelabel by the label attachment member 46b to the article by the force ofthe spring 51b in the above-described way. The pushing-out member 43b isthen moved back to its starting position shown in FIG. 9 by the returnspring and stops at the initial position.

Although the invention has been described with reference to particularembodiments thereof, these may be modified in various ways withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A labeller comprising a casing which is provided with a handle andwith a tape support for supporting a tape carrying detachable labelshaving pressure sensitive adhesive on the backs thereof, means fordetaching each label from the tape by reversely turning the tape, a tapefeed means, a label outlet opening disposed adjacent saidlabel-detaching means and having associated therewith a label holdersupporting the detached label, a reciprocable spring-actuated labelpushing-out member having thereon a label pushing-out applicator movableto and fro through said opening against a detached label on said labelholder to forcibly affix said label to the article to be labelled andincluding at least one pushing-out spring; a reciprocably-movablelabelleractuating member operatively engaging and disengaging said tapefeed means and operatively connected to said pushing-out member, saidreciprocably-movable member being arranged to actuate said tape feedmeans and also to engage said pushing-out member to move togethertherewith, means responsive to the arla l drival of saidreciprocably-movable member at a predetermined position of saidpushing-out member while said pushing-out spring is in a tensionedcondition to release said pushing-out member and its applicator topropel said detached label through said outlet opening into adhesiveengagement with the article to be labelled, an electric motor mounted insaid handle, and reciprocating mechanism operatively connecting saidmotor to said reciprocably-movable member for electrically reciprocatingsaid reciprocably-movable memher.

2. A labeller according to claim 1 wherein said movable memberisprovided with a pawl engaging said pushing-out member at the end ofmovement of said pushing-out member in one direction and moving togetherwith said pushing-out member by movement in the opposite direction andwherein said casing is provided with a pawl-releasing member releasingthe above engagement at a predetermined position of said pushing-outmember with said pushing-out spring in a tensioned condition 3. Alabeller accordingv to claim 1 wherein said reciprocably-movable memberconsists of a slide movable toward and away from said handle and.wherein said slide has said pawl connected thereto which engages theengaging portion of the pushing-out member.

4. A labeller according to claim 1 wherein said label holder adjacentsaid opening is provided with a contact member adapted to close anelectrical circuit making a driving connection between the electricmotor and said reciprocably-movable member in response to contact ofsaid contact member with the article to be

1. A labeller comprising a casing which is provided with a handle andwith a tape support for supporting a tape carrying detachable labelshaving pressure sensitive adhesive on the backs thereof, means fordetaching each label from the tape by reversely turning the tape, a tapefeed means, a label outlet opening disposed adjacent saidlabel-detaching means and having associated therewith a label holdersupporting the detached label, a reciprocable spring-actuated labelpushing-out member having thereon a label pushing-out applicator movableto and fro through said opening against a detached label on said labelholder to forcibly affix said label to the article to be labelled andincluding at least one pushing-out spring; a reciprocablymovablelabeller-actuating member operatively engaging and disengaging said tapefeed means and operatively connected to said pushing-out member, saidreciprocably-movable member being arranged to actuate said tape feedmeans and also to engage said pushing-out member to move togethertherewith, means responsive to the arrival of said reciprocably-movablemember at a predetermined position of said pushing-out member while saidpushing-out spring is in a tensioned condition to release saidpushing-out member and its applicator to propel said detached labelthrough said outlet opening into adhesive engagement with the article tobe labelled, an electric motor mounted in said handle, and reciprocatingmechanism operatively connecting said motor to said reciprocably-movablemember for electrically reciprocating said reciprocably-movable member.2. A labeller according to claim 1 wherein said movable member isprovided with a pawl engaging said pushing-out member at the end ofmovement of said pushing-out member in one direction and moving togetherwith said pushing-out member by movement in the opposite direction andwherein said casing is provided with a pawl-releasing member releasingthe above engagement at a predetermined position of said pushing-outmember with said pushing-out spring in a tensioned condition.
 3. Alabeller according to claim 1 wherein said reciprocably-movable memberconsists of a slide movable toward and away from said handle and whereinsaid slide has said pawl connected thereto which engages the engagingportion of the pushing-out member.
 4. A labeller according to claim 1wherein said label holder adjacent said opening is provided with acontact member adapted to close an electrical circuit making a drivingconnection between the electric motor and said reciprocably-movablemember in response to contact of said contact member with the article tobe labelled.